Sports Coaching: The Importance of Getting Reviews

According to a recent survey, 59% of people read online reviews before making a purchase. Whether you're selling a product or a service, your online reputation matters.

After reading an average of four reviews, Internet users feel like they know enough to make a decision. You need these reviews to be positive if you want to make a good first impression.

There are several things to consider when building your clientele and reputation in sports coaching. While your education, experience, and services are paramount, client feedback is also a key component. 

With almost 5 billion people around the world using the Internet, the idea of collecting online reviews can seem daunting. But it doesn't have to be!

In this article, we'll explain the importance of online reviews for sports coaching, plus how to generate positive client feedback to promote your profile at Sport Session. 

Why Online Reviews Matter in Sports Coaching

We live in a world of instant gratification, where information is at our fingertips. People don't want to perform extensive research to find out if your sports coaching services are worth it. They want other satisfied (or unsatisfied) clients to tell them what they did and didn't like about their experience.

A shocking 91% of people trust online reviews as much as a recommendation from a friend or family member. All it takes is a few bad reviews or disgruntled ex-clients to send your digital reputation down the tubes!

Collecting and maintaining positive online reviews is like job security for the future. Generating leads is only the first step in booking clients and securing repeat customers. Once you gain their attention, you need to impress them – and that starts long before you meet face-to-face.

The good news is that by being proactive and engaged, you can generate plenty of positive online reviews that create the memorable first impression you need in the world of sports coaching.

Positive online reviews also help with local SEO. Reviews are factored into Google SERPs (search engine results page) and could help your services skyrocket to the top of the list. According to Moz, reviews make up over 15% of Google ranking factors.

When discussing online reviews, quantity is almost as important as quality. The more reviews you have, the more frequent your name will appear on Google searches, and the higher your rankings will be.

How to Gain Positive Online Reviews

You know you need them, but you don't know how to get them. Never fear!

Here are a few simple ways to collect positive online reviews so you can make a name for yourself in the world of sports coaching.

Ask Former and Current Clients

This is the easiest and most genuine way to collect reviews. Turn to your clients! Whether they're repeat customers or only used your services once, ask them to leave you a positive review.

Most satisfied customers are more than happy to take a few moments to share their experience online and help you generate more business. Look at the profile of Sport Session yoga coach Emma Levy. There are plenty of lovely comments and 5-star-reviews. 

How can clients leave reviews at Sport Session?

After a training session clients receive an automated email with a link to the review form. Remind them to leave a review after they receive the email. Also, your clients can leave their reviews for any training with you on the dashboard in their profiles.

Don’t be shy to ask for reviews. You deserve some gratitude.

Promote Your Google Review Link

What is a Google review link? This is a special link, created in Google Business Account, which clients can use to leave reviews about services or goods. According to statistics 59% of consumers use Google to read reviews. So if you don’t have enough reviews on your profile, your users can google you and find comments from your clients.

The easier you make it for people to leave you a review, the more likely they are to do it. That means including your Google review link and other links in multiple places.

The most popular places include your emails, at the bottom of customer receipts, and on your business cards. You should also include one line encouraging clients to follow through.

A good example would be, "Please let us know how you enjoyed your experience and what we can do to serve you better in the future." Keep it short, sweet, and direct.

How to create a Google Review link

1. Open your Business Profile Manager. If you don’t have it yet, you can register here.

2. In the left menu choose the options Home.

3. Find the button ‘Share review form’.

4. Copy the link and post it whenever you want.

To do this on your phone you need to download Google My Business app.

1. Tap Customers and choose Share.

2. Copy your URL and share it on the necessary page.

Leverage Social Media

The one place online users frequent just as much, if not more than Google is social media. You can use some of the most popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more than just marketing and engaging with customers. 

You can also leverage these platforms to collect much-needed online reviews. Create a social media post asking for feedback. You can post received feedbacks in your profile on in stories. Create highlights with received feedbacks so that your subscribers could see them at any time. And don’t forget to insert the link to transfer users directly to your Sport Session profile.

Pro tip: use a shorter URL link to stand out and increase the likelihood that users will click on it. 

Handling Negative Online Reviews

In life, you have to take the good with the bad. Even if you're the most well-established and highly rated sports coach in your field, someone out there will have something negative to say about you.

When these keyboard warriors go on a rampage and try to smear your good name, there's only one thing you can do – address it head-on.

While it may be tempting to either ignore negative client feedback or defend yourself (especially if the claims are false), the best thing to do is kill them with kindness. Ignoring a bad review gives the impression that you have something to hide or, even worse, that what's being said about you is true.

You also want to avoid getting into any back-and-forth argument with the reviewer. This is petty and unprofessional and could cast a bad light on your business ethics. 

Instead, respond to negative reviews in a calm, polite, and time-sensitive manner. The faster you act, the more damage control you can do.

Even though it may be painful, politely apologize that the individual had a poor experience. You can even offer a discount on future services or a gift card. The way you respond to negative client feedback says more about you than them, so be sure to keep it positive and professional. 

Most Popular Online Review Platforms 

While Google reviews reign supreme for most businesses, these aren't the only reviews that matter. Allocate your time and resources to other popular review platforms such as Yelp or Trustpilot.

The more positive reviews and exposure you get, the more you'll stand out in today's vast digital universe. 

Read more: Business Tips for Coaches: How to Grow Your Client Base

Create a Successful Sports Coaching Career

Never before has health and fitness been more important. People across the globe are investing more time, money, and energy into their health and wellbeing. This is why now is the perfect time to embark on a career in sports coaching.

Whether you're a yoga or pilates instructor, personal trainer, or nutritionist, there are plenty of people out there searching for an inspirational coach just like you. At Sport Session you can become a coach and start your coaching career at once.

Collecting positive online reviews can help catapult your career and bring in new business. Head over to our FAQ page to learn more about the Sport Session platform and the many benefits it offers.